"Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?" is a song recorded by the American singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks. Co-written by Nicks with Keith Olsen, it was released as the closing track on her third solo studio album Rock a Little (1985). The song was released as the album's third single on May 12, 1986, peaking at No. 60 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
Background During the VH1 Storytellers series, Nicks explained that "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?" was written about the death of Joe Walsh's three-year-old daughter, Emma Kristen, who was killed in an automobile accident on her way to nursery school. Walsh had previously dedicated "Song for Emma" to her on his 1974 album So What. Nicks and Walsh were traveling in Colorado when he recounted some of the memories he had with Emma, which Nicks discussed in the liner notes of her Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks compilation album in 1991.
Walsh had brought Nicks to the park, which had a small drinking fountain dedicated to Emma and "all others who were too small to get a drink". Once Nicks returned to her home in Phoenix, she sat down at her Bösendorfer grand piano and wrote the song in roughly five minutes. Nicks said that the "priest of nothing" lyric referred to Walsh "and all the rock stars in the world I know" who were "legends" despite not exerting a lot of effort in their craft.
The song was developed further with Keith Olsen during the Rock a Little recording sessions. Olsen had suggested that they add a bridge and a key change, which he composed on a Kurzweil keyboard in Nicks' house. Nicks approved of this idea and developed a vocal melody to accompany it.
Critical reception Mike DeGagne of AllMusic retrospectively applauded Nicks for her "wholehearted approach" on "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?" Billboard called the song a "low, throaty ballad with acoustic piano and reflective imagery." Cashbox characterized the song as "an emotion-packed ballad" with "poignant piano strains and a mesmerizing, somber Nicks vocal."
Track listings US and Canadian 7-inch single
"Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" – 4:35 "Imperial Hotel" – 2:53
Australian 7-inch single
"Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" – 4:35 "The Nightmare" – 5:08
UK and New Zealand 7-inch single
"Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" – 4:00 "I Can't Wait" (Dub Mix)
UK and New Zealand 12-inch single
"Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" – 4:35 "No Spoken Word" "I Can't Wait" (Dub Mix)
Personnel Credits adapted from the Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks liner notes
Stevie Nicks – lead vocals Lori Perry Nicks – backing vocals Carolyn Brooks – backing vocals Charles Judge – piano, synthesizer Jamie Sherrif – E-mu Emulator programming Michael Landau – guitar David Kemper – percussion
Charts Chart (1986) PeakpositionCanada Top Singles (RPM) 92US Cash Box Top 100 63US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records) 26
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